Byzantine Gold Sandwich Glass Fragment

Since the dawn of history, man has adorned himself with gold ornaments to enhance his prestige and self-image. In the Byzantine age, a technique was developed that gave the visual effect of gold at a fraction of the cost. In a gold sandwich, as archaeologists have come to call it, a thin layer of gold leaf is set between two sheets of glass. The gold shines through the glass, creating the illusion of a solid sheet, and is then worn as jewelry. This intriguing fragment still glows with the rich warmth of gold. It reminds us that the fascination with what is precious and beautiful is as old as civilization itself.